Whispered Awakenings
by That'sMzPeachesTYVM
Summary: He was the third person to hold me the day I was born. He called me his BabyBell. He said he would never let me go. I've never let him! AH Language and Lemons
1. Chapter 1

**Whispered Awakenings**

Written for the Twi-HEA Contest  
**Pen Name**:  
That'sMzPeachesTYVM  
**Beta**(s):  
Lolo84, Tinklinas, Prettyflour  
**Rating**:  
M  
**Genre**:  
Romance  
**Word Count**:  
7,912  
**Pairing**:  
Bella/Edward  
**Summary**:  
He was the third person to hold me the  
day I was born. He called me _his_ BabyBell. He said he would  
never let me go. I've never let him!  
**Disclaimer**:  
Contains strong language and sexual content, please  
do not read if you are under eighteen.  
Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all of its contents. She is kind enough  
to allow us to use her characters in our demented world of Fanfics.  
No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

~..*..~

Edward Masen was a tender-hearted child. According to my mother, he spoke to me through her stomach the entire summer she was pregnant with me. He came into our lives several years after the death of my Grandma Esme at the tender age of thirty-six, followed by my Uncle Peter just eighteen months later, before the birth of his only child. My grandfather—now lonely, and a widower—cared deeply for Edward's mother, Kate, but married her primarily because he had grown so attached to Edward, and wanted to provide a stable home environment for him. Kate left Grandpa and Edward both just six months after they shared their vows. It caused a tear in Edward's heart, but in the long run was the best gift she ever gave him—aside from life.

Grandpa raised him as if he were his own son, and desperately wanted to adopt him, but from a young age Edward refused. He had only a few memories of his father, but the ones he held were precious and dear to him. Although he loved and respected grandpa, he wanted to maintain his birth name in honor of his father who died in Vietnam.

When I was born on Tuesday September 13, 1974 Uncle Edward was the first person—other than my parents, of course—to hold me. Mom told him that my name was Isabella, and that he could call me Bella. I don't think he ever did. He named me BabyBell, or rather _My_ BabyBell. When my Grandpa came the next day to see me, and pick Edward up, he apparently kicked up quite the fuss. He didn't want to leave "His" Babybell behind until Grandpa assured him we would find a way for him to see me often, and that he could call every evening, a promise Edward took to heart.

My nightly routine included a phone call from Edward.

In fact, Mom could never get me settled until I listened to him on the phone. His voice always soothed me. When I was three weeks old, I went through a terrible colic-y phase, and the only thing that would quiet me was hearing Edwards voice. Our bond has been intense from the beginning.

We spent almost every Christmas, and several weeks of every summer in Michigan with Grandpa and Uncle Edward. Inevitably, Alice would arrive with Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett. We grew up as summertime "besties". Our birthdays were just three days apart, so we often celebrated them at Grandpa's house a little early.

The year I turned thirteen, and Alice fifteen, Uncle Edward bought us our first phones. Mine was purple and Alice's was pink. They had see-through plastic receivers that lit up when they rang. This made his nightly calls so much easier, to have a phone of my own, in my own room. Alice and I agreed. _Best gift ever_!

This was the beginning of a journey of awakening. Through that silly phone, I got advice from my best friend and a lifeline to the one person who always made everything okay. Uncle Edward was my hero and champion. He always made time for me.

~..*..~

March 7, 1988 2 a.m.

"Guess what? Guess what?" Alice squealed into the line.

"I could try, but I am sure I'd be wrong." I said dryly.

"You're no fun," she retorted before unloading her super sneaky "intel." "I heard my mom talking to yours on the phone, and they were saying something about this summer. So, I channeled Nancy Drew, picking up my phone to listen in… and Ican'twaitforthissummer!" she practically screeched into the receiver.

"What is going on this summer?" I said slowly, trying to get her to calm down.

"You and I are going to spend the _entire_ summer with Grandpa and Uncle Eddie." she gushed. "You are coming a week after school lets out, and won't be going back until Labor Day!"

"For really?" I perked up. "Oh my gosh! Are you… for really?" I stood up, and began to jump on my bed. Thank God my bedroom was on the third floor, at the opposite end of the house from my parents' second floor bedroom. They would have been upset that I was awake and on my phone at two o'clock in the morning, not to mention jumping on my bed.

~..*..~

April 19, 1988

"BabyBell?" Edward's sleepy voice answered the phone. "What are you calling at… one o'clock in the morning for?"

"Nothing, "I sniffled into the handset. "I just… I woke up, and I can't get back..." I winced in pain, with tears spilling down my face.

"BabyBell, tell me what's wrong." He suddenly sounded wide awake.

"I don't know. I just hurt a little bit. I think I might have gas. I keep rocking on my knees, and hoping the bubble will move." Edward was used to my verbal diarrhea and blatant lack of boundaries.

"So, you thought since _you_ were up, then _I_ had to stay up with you?" He chuckled.

"I just needed to hear your voice. You always make me feel better." I sighed and hiccoughed. I was trying so hard to be brave. I had actually been awake for nearly two hours already, hoping to get what I assumed was a gas bubble to move from my right side. It was becoming increasingly painful, and I could not hold back the tears.

"Sweetie, where does it hurt?"

"On the right side of my tummy. Stupid gas bubble won't _move_," I groaned.

"Well, when did it start hurting?"

"I woke…" I paused, gasping in pain. "I woke up at eleven and…" I whimpered.

"Baby girl, I think you need to go get Renee and Charlie up to take you to the doctor's."

"I don't think I can," I cried out. The pain was growing by the minute, and my whole body had broken out into a sweat. I couldn't stop trembling, and the pressure of my underpants was causing me problems.

"BabyBell, I'm hanging up, and calling straight back. Let Charlie or Renee answer, okay?" Then I heard the dial tone. The phone began to ring the second I placed it back on the cradle.

Moments later, I heard the sound of my father rushing up the stairs and bursting into my room.

"Bella, sweetie, are you okay? Edward says you are in pain." He placed his hand on my forehead and pushed my sweaty bangs away from my face. "Shit," he uttered quietly, as he picked me up and wrapped my blanket around me. "Let's get you to the hospital."

~..*..~

April 22, 1988 7:00 p.m.

"So, I hear you had an eventful several days?" Edward sounded amused.

"Well, I _did_ have my appendix removed." I groused.

"Yes, and I hear you managed to get a nurse fired?" He laughed.

"It's not _my_ fault she couldn't read the damn papers!" I blushed wildly, getting riled at the memory.

"Language," Renee chided from the kitchen.

"Stop listening to my conversation and my language won't offend you." I snapped back.

"You're recovering, so I'm gonna let that go… for now." Mom huffed, before stomping up the stairs.

On the line, Edward laughed… again. "You know she isn't going to let you cuss, right?"

"I'm so glad to amuse you, Jerkasuarus Rex." Whenever Alice and I wanted to give Uncle Edward a rough time about his age—which we only did when he was annoying us—this is what we called him. We were smart enough to know that by the time we were in our twenties, eight years wouldn't seem like a big difference, but at age thirteen, twenty-one seemed a long ways off!

"Ouch! You wound me, BabyBell," I heard a hint of amusement in his tone. "So, what's this embarrassing thing that happened? Renee won't tell me. She said if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me."

"I…uh… I…" I stuttered. My ER stay prior to admission and surgery was horrible to say the least. All thanks to Nurse Lauren. "My nurse, Lauren… she…" I knew without seeing that I was scarlet all over. The heat spreading across my face, throat and chest was like a furnace.

"Take a breath. If you don't want to share this, you don't have to." Edward always knew what to say to make me feel more at ease.

"She kicked Mom and Dad out of the room, and asked me all sorts of questions. Some of them I could not answer. When she asked when my last… uh… cycle was, I couldn't remember the exact date, y'know? I was in pain, and tired, and that was the last thing on my mind. Then she got all snippy, and asked me when I was last…" I dropped my voice, blushing deeper red than I had since that day in the ER, "sexually active." An enraged shudder ripped through me at the thought. I was _still _angry and horrified over the situation. "I told her never, after I managed to say _anything at all_."

"Well, I know that that was embarrassing, but you know they have to ask every girl who has a period about that before they can give her an x-ray, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, Mom explained that." I sighed.

"So, what did she do that got her fired?"

"Oh my God! Uncle Edward, she told me she didn't _believe _me," I spat, adopting a mocking voice to quote the she-devil nurse from Hell. "'Well, you _did_ pause awfully long when I asked it, and that blush of yours told the story.'" I huffed an annoyed breath while Edward started to laugh (again) on the other end of the line.

"Yuck it up, Jerkward!" I muttered. "Anyhow, I tried to explain that… _THAT_ was the _last_ thing on my mind, but she laughed at me, and told me that she knows exactly how," I mimicked her snide voice again, "'sixteen year olds today are. Especially snotty little pretty ones built like you! When did you last have sex?'"

"You're kidding me?" He stopped laughing at that, and his voice sounded like thunder. My champion was shining through.

"Nope! I told her she needed to re-read the papers in front of her. That I am only _thirteen_ years old, So—seeing as I still play with my Barbie's—sex was not the first thing on my mind… and would she please go get my mother for me?" _I_ started laughing then, remembering my mother and father's reaction. But stopped quickly and hissed at the pain it caused to my incision site.

"Daddy went to the nurses' station and caused such a scene that the Board of Directors, whom were meeting that day caught wind of it, and that stupid nurse got the boot," I grinned.

"Did she even apologize?" Edward sounded fighting mad.

"No, she didn't. She kept claiming that I look older than thirteen and how that justified her behavior." I sighed. "I don't though, do I?"

"You don't what? Look older than you are?"

"Yeah, that. I mean, I'm not taller than the other girls. You would think that if I looked older the kids in school would be nice, not pick on me for being fat!" I whined.

"Oh sweetheart," Edward soothed me. "You are _not_ fat! You are just, uh… growing up and um… developing a more… uh…. um… womanly? Yeah, a more _womanly_ shape than your peers." His voice sounded strained, and his halting speech was awkward. "Y'know… maybe you should talk to Alice about this." He let out a sigh. "Listen, I have a date with Tanya in an hour, so I gotta start getting ready."

"She's not nice, Edward. You know this, right?" Tanya was the one thing that he and I had ever consistently disagreed on. She had been his girlfriend since High School, and was constantly breaking up with him, only to run back as soon as her latest conquest fell through, or whenever Edward started to look at another girl. Alice and I hated her with-a-passion; partly because Tanya always spoke down to us whenever we saw her.

"She's nice to me." He defended.

"No, Edward. No, she's not," I held my voice flat. "Alice says that 'just because she's giving it up for you, that doesn't mean she's doing you a favor.'" I quoted what Alice said last time I told her he used that defense. "She also said to tell you 'You won't consider it nice when it shrivels up and turns black from whatever bug she gives you.'" Though I wasn't absolutely sure what that meant, I had an idea, but was too shy to clarify. Alice never held back with me, or treated me as if I were younger than her.

"Figures she'd say that shit to _you_," he ground out. "Listen, I know what I am doing. Tell Alice I said to keep her opinions to herself next time you speak to her, m'kay?"

"'Kay." I said quietly, feeling as though I had stepped into stuff that was way over my head.

"You take care, sweetie. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said tenderly.

"Not tonight?" I whined. "You know I can't sleep until I've heard your voice."

"I'm taking Tanya to Grand Rapids, BabyBell. They have a brand new movie complex there with like fifteen screens, and one of them is _ginormous_! We won't get back until after midnight, and your mom will kill me if I call that late!"

"Okay," I said, resigned. "Be safe, Edward. I love you."

"I love you too, My BabyBell."

"Am I still? Even though I hate Tanya?" My voice was small and unsure.

"Always baby girl. You'll _always_ be My BabyBell."

~..*..~

May 22, 1988 8:00 p.m.

"So, there's two weeks left in school. Aunt Renee said she was going to take you summer clothes shopping, but, maybe we could talk her into waiting until you get up here so we can go together," Alice gushed.

"Ali, I dunno. Mom was crying last night over the thought of me being gone all summer. I don't know if she could handle the thought of me being old enough to do all of this stuff without her."

"Well, maybe she would let you keep half of the money to do half of the shopping out here?" There was a hopeful tone to her voice.

"We'll see. I'll talk to her," I promised. "Listen, Ali… I gotta get off of the phone, I'm expecting–"

"–A call from Edward, I _know_" she interrupted me "Yeesh, Bells. Have you _ever_ gone a night without talking to him?"

"Well, yeah, on occasion. Why?"

"Just wondering. Haven't Grandpa, or your mom and dad ever complained about the phone bill?"

"Well, Grandpa covered it when Edward was a kid, but when he got his first job, Edward got his own line installed, and pays for it himself." I shrugged, looking at my clock. "He's probably already tried calling, Ali. I _really_ gotta go!"

"Y'know, Bells, my mom and Emmett were talking the other night, and I overheard them. They were talking about you and Edward." Her voice sounded like it was full of secrets and accusations.

"What were they saying about us?"

"That your relationship is abnormal, and that he is entirely too obsessed with his niece," Alice quipped.

"Well, she doesn't know what she's talking about! Edward is my… my… he's my best friend and he's always there for me, and—" I started crying. I didn't even know why, other than it sounded like Aunt Rose and Uncle Em were accusing Edward of something bad with regards to me. I didn't like it. Not one bit.

~..*..~

July 3, 1988 3 p.m.

"Yes Mom! I promise I am behaving myself for Grandpa." I sighed in exasperation.

"I'm glad to hear it, pumpkin," Mom cooed, sounding like she was talking to a toddler. The woman was obviously missing me, and it was getting on my last nerve that she wanted to keep treating me like a little girl.

"Mom, I got my period and started shaving my legs and pits three years ago. Do you think you can talk to me like an adult?" I groused.

"Fine, fine! I'm sorry your ladyship." Sarcasm dripped in her tone.

"Mom," I groaned, wanting her to take me seriously for a change.

"Okay, I'm sorry. It's just hard to watch your baby girl grow up and be so far from home."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, sweetie. Hey, are you giving your Uncle Edward plenty of space?" Her question seemed to come out of the blue.

"What do you mean giving him space? He has his own room!"

"I know… it's just…" Mom sighed.

"Oh, I _know_ what it is, and I _so _don't want to hear it. Why is it that it was okay all of these years for him to call me every night at bedtime, and now it's suddenly this big deal?" I demanded.

"It's just… complicated." Mom sounded tired.

"So, uncomplicated it and explain it to me!"I stomped my foot, drawing Grandpa's attention from the next room.

"Everything okay in there, kiddo?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's fine" I told him. "Just more talk about Edward and my "relationship" not being right." I huffed.

"Is that yer Ma, or yer Aunt?" he grumbled.

"It's Ma." I arched my brow.

"Give me the phone, Bella." He held out his hand and I gave him the phone. I walked out of the house, not even caring to listen in on this conversation. Grandpa had been running interference for us since May. He was on our side that this "relationship" was "aboveboard" and there was nothing "dirty" about it.

~..*..~

January 22, 1990

"Thank you for my Christmas present again," I sighed.

"Well, I figured it would be nice if you had your own line to go with your phone!" I could hear the smile in his voice. "And you can stop thanking me already! I did it for me as well. After Rosalie listened in on our conversation over Thanksgiving, I figured it would be best. You should have the right to your privacy. It's not like there's anything we talk about that she should be all concerned about anyways."

"Yeah, I know. She's been trying to convince everyone for two years now that there's something wrong with us. I mean, to listen to her, someone would think you were out to have _sex_ with me!" I laughed, waiting to hear him join me.

"You know it isn't really like that, right, BabyBell?" Edward's voice sounded so unsure.

"Of course I do! I mean... you're my not even really my Uncle for pete's sake! You may be sexy as all hell, but that doesn't mean I want to run out and have sex with you! Right?" It was the first time I had ever commented aloud about my attraction to him. I started noticing during that summer, two years ago how well shaped the lean form of his body was, and I recognized a certain feeling of warmth that spread through me when he hugged me.

"Of course not." His voice sounded a little bit husky. "You think I'm sexy, eh?" He chuckled softly.

"Well, duh! Any girl with _eyes_ knows that you have a hot body, and the most beautiful green eyes ever known to mankind," I admitted. "Just why are they so concerned about you being inappropriate? I mean, it's not like you don't already have Tanya! Even if you didn't, you are SO far out of _my_ league! It's like you would find _me_ attractive enough to… to—" I trailed off awkwardly, realizing that this was turning into the very kind of conversation Aunt Rose was always assuming we held.

"BabyBell… if I were just four or five years younger, I would show you just how beautiful I think you are." His voice sounded tight and irritated. "But you're my niece… and you are a kid… and this conversation has to stop." He sighed. "Go to sleep, BabyBell."

"Am I still yours?" I felt wary.

"Always," he whispered.

~..*..~

June 2, 1991 8:00 p.m.

"You promise you'll be there?" I asked breathily.

"I wouldn't miss your graduation for anything, BabyBell." Edward's solid voice assured me. "You worked your ass off to graduate a year early!"

"I just wasn't sure, I mean… after what she did to you, I would completely understand if you wanted to stay home and lick your wounds." I tried to give him an out.

"Don't go bringing her up. I have that picture scalded into my fucking brain for life at this point. I don't want to re-hash it for fuck's sake!" He growled.

"I'm sorry." I sighed. Tears began to fall from my eyes as I thought back over what Ali had told me two days ago…

"_Oh, my God! Edward went out mudding with his friend Jasper the other day, and by the way, Jasper is fucking hot…. but I digress… when they got back to his apartment, Edward walked into his bedroom and found Tanya in bed with his friend James, and James' girlfriend Vicki. Apparently Tanya was riding James reversed cowgirl while Vicki ate her out! Can you imagine? I mean, Oh my Gaaaawd!"_

"I won't bring it up ever again, I swear." I told him.

"I'm sorry, BabyBell… I didn't mean to take this out on you. You've never been anything but sweet and gentle, and supportive. It's not you that has me upset. It's never been you! Or has it always been you?" By the end of his little rant, I think he was talking more to himself than to me.

~..*..~

August 4, 1991

"I don't want to hear it anymore, mother!" I steamed. "I've heard enough about how strange my relationship with Edward is to last me a lifetime. I will be seventeen next month, and am old enough to know my own mind. I know what is and is not appropriate. I am _telling_ you… Back. Off. "

"Don't talk to me with so little respect, young lady!" Mom hollered into the phone. "You know I didn't even have to send you out there this summer—"

"You didn't," I screeched. "I saved up the money for the plane ticket all by myself." I reminded her once again. This same argument had been going on all summer. Every time I told her I had been to the beach with Edward, Jasper and Alice, she would freak out on me about how it was inappropriate for me to spend so much time with my twenty-five year old _not-_uncle. She would really freak out if she knew how often Ali and I stayed the night at Edward's apartment.

"You are still at an age where I can make you come home. You want to be treated like an adult, start acting like one," Mom bellowed.

"Fine," I smiled into the phone. "I'll stay here, and get a job. Then I'll file for emancipation." I managed to keep my tone even and my voice at a reasonable level. I think Mom often forgot that the job I had held since last summer, while I stayed in Maryland, was as a file clerk at a lawyer's office. I learned so much over the year I worked there, and the letter of reference the attorney wrote for me had helped to get me into University of Chicago, where I would be moving in two weeks. My high marks and early graduation got me a full-ride scholarship. "It won't matter in two weeks anyhow, will it? I'll be four hours away from him. I'll be nine hours away from you. Maybe you can line all of my clothes in bubble wrap for me. Then I will be insulated from any owies."

"That's a low blow, Bella." Mom's voice trembled.

"But accurate," I quipped.

"Can't you accept that I am concerned for you?"

"Can't you accept that it is misplaced concern?" I retorted. "Listen, I know the fact that Ali and Jasper are dating has you and Aunt Rose all freaked out, but there's nothing wrong with their relationship! Yeah, he is six years older than her, but I don't see the problem! They are perfect together."

"I am concerned you and your _Uncle_ Edward will lose sight of the fact that you are related. You have always been so close, and I saw the way you looked at each other at your graduation."

"_First _of all, mother, we _aren't_ related. Are we?"

"Not biologically, but—"

"No buts! He was never adopted. His name is still Masen last I checked." I cut her off. "Secondly, I don't know what you are talking about. Our relationship is the same as it has always been. We still talk every evening, and we still share a bond. Always have, always will. I love Edward, Mom. And before you get all steamed up, I mean that I love him the way I always have. I look up to him, and admire him. He helps me to calm down when I get upset, and has always been there for me." I reminded her.

"That's what worries me, honey. You two have never learned to rely on anyone but each other. The relationship that such need has fostered is not healthy. It doesn't have perspective."

"I_ do_ have perspective! I know what I want in life, and I am going to get it."

"Again… that's what concerns me. I think you lie to yourself about what you want."

~..*..~

September 5, 1992 2:30 a.m.

"You're still going to come spend your birthday here, right My BabyBell?" There was a dark edge to his voice. It was rough and needy.

"I confirmed the flight reservations today." I told him.

"Eight more days. Fuck, babygirl. They won't go fast enough." He spoke through gritted teeth. I could hear his movements, the sound of the sheets sliding, his breath panting and gasping. I knew what he was doing. We never discussed it aloud. He knew I had witnessed him masturbate this past summer. I had gone to the fair with him, and we had gotten back late, so I crashed in the guest room at his apartment.

_My sleep was shallow and restless as I tossed and turned. After a few hours, I heard a noise that woke me up. Unsure what it was, I lay silent for a bit waiting to hear it again. When I did, it was a deep groan coming from Edward's room which was next to mine. I slipped out of bed and went to stand by his door. If he was just being vocal in his sleep, I certainly didn't want to wake him, so I listened intently. I heard what sounded like a hiss, followed by another breathier groan, and underneath it, a rhythmic sound like fabric rubbing against itself. _

"_That's it." I heard him whisper. I was not sure I believed what I was hearing. "Take it deeper, just like that." His voice was deep and raspy. There was a pause in the rhythmic sound, and I heard a strange snapping noise, followed by a squirting sound, and another snap. The fabric sound resumed, accompanied by the sound of wet slickness. Then there was more grunting and groaning. I was trying to piece myself together as I listened to the sounds. When I shifted to press my forehead against it, his door slid open an inch. (I swear I didn't do it on purpose. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!) He was sprawled out under his sheet, and I stood transfixed as I watched my sexy uncle masturbate. _

_Warmth began to spread throughout my chest, radiating downwards. I was nervous as all get out, fearing he'd catch me spying on him. I didn't mean to be, really! I just couldn't help myself. It was like watching a train wreck, and I couldn't tear my eyes away. _

"_Yeah, baby. Just like that. Take it down your throat. Fuck that's good," he gritted out, and started grunting softly with each heaving breath._

_His rhythm picked up speed, and his hips started bucking upward from the bed. I found myself wishing that the sheet weren't covering him, and that the room was lighter_ _t__han what the moon was providing through the window. I wondered what _it_ looked like. I blushed at the workings of my own mind. Still I watched, trying to subdue my heavy breathing. _

_Suddenly, Edward's whole body stiffened, before curling inward on itself. There was a long, keening groan, followed by a slight convulsive shaking over his whole body. I was jealous of his hand. As I turned to sneak back to my room, I heard a whisper—a private admission that lit me up._

"_Beautiful girl. What have you done to me, my BabyBell?" His voice was ragged, and rough. _

_As I moved to sneak back to the guest room, the floorboard creaked beneath my feet, and Edward sat bolt upright in his bed. I looked over my shoulder, and our eyes locked before I fled to the safety of the guest room to relieve some tension of my own._

There had been some very convoluted conversations over this year about my upcoming birthday. He told me that he was going to stay up with me all night between the twelfth and thirteenth so that he could help me "celebrate" my birthday. We had dropped the titles. I never called him "uncle" anymore. We both knew there was no blood, although I am sure Aunt Rose would view it otherwise. I wasn't sure if Mom and Dad could accept this… but Edward was mine. He always had been… and I was his. I had never dated anyone. I had honestly never been attracted to anyone but Edward.

"Do you know what you're in for if you come, BabyBell?" His voice had dropped another step, and was even rougher. "Do you know what I am going to give to you? Take from you? Require of you? Do you?"

"Anything, Edward. I want you to take it… all of me," I whispered as my hand drifted to the apex of my thighs. I began to breathe heavily as I circled that bundle of nerves, pressing the skin around it to raise its peak up as I massaged the tip of it. My body quaked, and I spoke his name breathlessly as I found release.

"Fuck," he grunted quietly. "What you've done to me, My BabyBell?" Our breathing was harsh and rapid… and the only sound on the line for a few minutes.

"I'll see you in a few days, Edward," I finally said with a yawn. "I love you."

"I love you too, BabyBell." He sighed. "Always."

~..*..~

I didn't need to tell Edward I was a virgin. We _had_ been in daily contact since my infancy. So he knew the only "date" I had ever been on was with my friend Seth for my Senior Prom. He also knew I was never attracted to Seth. It was always him. Edward. He was the touchstone by which all other men were judged in my mind.

When I lay down beside him at midnight, he kissed me for the first time. It was slow, and tender. His tongue parted my lips and slid against mine, and it felt like coming home. His taste exploded on my tongue, like candied ginger. His scent engulfed me and centered me, even as my heart soared with the realization he was finally making me _truly_ his.

Edward was gentle and almost hesitant as he kissed his way down my neck, and to my collar bone. He dipped his tongue into the hollow at the base of my throat, eliciting a moan from me, and I felt his lips turn upwards into a smile against my skin.

I broke out into goose bumps as his hand slid across my abdomen and came to rest, cupping my left breast. His eyes locked on mine, full of hope. I smiled and nodded to him, telling him again, non-verbally that yes… this is what I wanted. Seeing him hesitate, I sat up, yanking my shirt over my head as I rose. Then, I undid the front closure of my bra, and let it fall from my arms.

Edward stared at my breasts in rapt awe, his mouth softly agape. Once again, I took the lead, and placed his hand back over my breast, squeezing it gently in encouragement as I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his throat.

He groaned, and began to move his hand, massaging my breast as he laid me back against the pillows of his bed. He took his shirt off, revealing his toned chest to me. I blatantly ogled his torso, running my hands across the planes of his chest and abdomen. I found the trail of sparse hair that lead from his belly button down towards the Promised Land and raked my fingers against the grain of it. His skin erupted into goose flesh, and he grunted out my name before crashing his lips to mine.

It was a slow and torturous pace that we kept. He kissed, fondled and suckled at my breasts for so long I came from the ministrations. His grin was smug, and he began to tug at the closure of my cut off shorts. After the fly was open, he placed a kiss on my belly as he slid them down and off of me, along with my panties. I lay naked and unafraid beneath him as he began to kiss his way up my legs.

"I'm gonna eat you up, BabyBell," He said looking into my eyes, his own full of lust.

I shuddered as a wave of arousal, the likes of which I had never experienced, washed over me, threatening to drag me under. The feeling of Edward's lips, tongue and teeth managed to keep me coherent, and attuned to the moment as he brushed the back of his knuckles across my aching center.

"Did I cause this?" Edward grinned as he held his hand up so I could see the glistening wetness of my arousal on his hand, before lifting it to his lips and licking it clean. He pushed my legs open wider, and settled between them. I nodded in acknowledgment as he began to gently run his fingers through my slit, coating them again with my wetness before he zeroed in on my clit, massaging the erect bundle of nerves while I whimpered and writhed beneath him.

I closed my eyes, and gave myself over to the sensations as he closed his lips around my clit and began to suck and flick it softly with is tongue. _I didn't know that there could be such a fantastic sensation._

"It only gets better," he mumbled against my throbbing flesh, and my eyes opened as I realized I had spoken my thought aloud.

"It's my birthday," I whispered.

"Oh, I know! I waited to open the gift you're giving me!" He grinned devilishly.

"When do I get to unwrap mine?" I pouted.

"When I have had my fill of your taste." He smirked before attaching his lips back to onto my throbbing clit. This time, his fingers began to explore, pressing against my opening, and slipping into my core. Just two fingers and the sensation of fullness was incredible.

I arched my back, and moved my hips in tandem with the strokes of his tongue and fingers, panting and moaning his name. I reached down, and tangled my fingers into his riotous mane, anchoring his mouth to my pussy. It didn't take long to push me over the ledge. I chanted his name, and shook violently as my orgasm overtook me. I could feel my walls spasm, and contract around his fingers. He continued to gently stroke my sex as I came down from my orgasmic high.

"My turn," I declared as I sat up and pushed him onto his back. I unclasped his belt, and the fly of his stonewashed blue jeans, and was surprised when I found that he went commando. His cock popped out of the fly, standing fully erect, throbbing and leaking. My eyes widened as I placed my hand around the shaft, feeling the thickness and weight of his turgid member.

My middle finger and thumb barely met around the girth of his cock. My lady bits tingled in spite of the sense of dread that washed over me at the thought of where Edward would be putting it… repeatedly… soon.

"Don't freak out, baby! I'll make sure you are ready first, I promise. Your body expands internally, and will be able to accommodate, I promise. I just wish I could promise that it would not hurt." He kissed my forehead before moaning as I slid my hands up and down the length of his shaft.

I began to kiss my way down his body, starting at his neck down his chest and across his toned stomach before I placed a kiss just beneath the head of his leaking cock. I swallowed my nerves as I took him into my mouth, licking and slurping at the precum spilling slowly from its head. My mouth could not fit even half of his length without gagging, but I used the spit that dribbled down his shaft as lubricant to slide my hand up and down, meeting my mouth thrust for thrust as I sucked him. His musky, salty flavor coated my mouth, and turned me on.

My arousal continued to pick up as he moaned, tangling his hands in my hair and thrusting upwards into my mouth. When he began to apply pressure to the back of my head—essentially fucking my mouth—I gagged harshly and nearly retched as he hit the back of my throat. Tears filled my eyes involuntarily in response.

Edward immediately let go of my head, and apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry, baby! I didn't mean to get carried away. Please tell me I didn't scare you. I'm so sorry."

I silenced his rambling with a kiss, forcing my tongue into his mouth as I rubbed my thighs together, desperate for relief from the throbbing, needy ache between my legs. Edward noticed, and placed his hand between my thighs, forcing me to relax and open them. He brought his hand to my weeping pussy, and ran his fingers along my folds, dipping two back inside of me. I groaned in relief as they filled me.

"Holy fuck, BabyBell. I think you're body is ready. Are you ready?" Edward asked me, his eyes searching mine for any signs of hesitation.

"I want you, Edward. Take me. Make me yours." I pleaded in a throaty, lust-filled voice.

"You're sure you don't want me to use a condom?" he asked again, for the thousandth time.

"I'm on the pill, Edward. You told me you always used a condom with Tanya, right?" He nodded. "And you got tested last month, just to be sure, right?" He nodded again.

"So no! No condoms. No barriers between us." I bit his bottom lip as I gazed fiercely into his eyes, and began to grind my clit against his cock, causing us both to hiss and shudder. "Take me." I whispered into his ear after releasing his lip. I reached down, and lined him up with my entrance; I flexed my hips and managed to get the head slipped in.

My eyes rolled back in my head as he began to push forwards, easing his cock into me inch by beautiful inch. I kept waiting for it to really hurt, but all I ever got was a slight pinch. Before I thought it through too much, he shifted his weight, slamming his hips flush against mine, grinding his pelvic bone against my clit. We moaned in unison as he began to thrust, taking care to grind against my clit with every stroke as he saw the pleasure it brought me.

"Baby, your fucking pussy is so tight. I'm not gonna last." He gritted out between clenched teeth.

I couldn't respond, I was so lost in pleasure. The only things spilling out of my mouth were unintelligible grunts, groans and sighs. I could feel the coil of my orgasm beginning to tighten in my belly. My eyes pooled as the beauty of our union washed over me, and the bliss of being filled so fully by the only man I had ever wanted consumed my senses.

Edward shifted my legs up higher over his hips so he could plunge more deeply inside me. As he thrust, he clenched and rolled his hips upward, hitting a place that caused me to shatter instantly. I screamed out as my orgasm bloomed, growing with each thrust he managed. There weren't many, as my walls tightened around him, drawing his orgasm from him, and milking his cock as she spilled his cum deep inside of me. I could feel the hot pulses streaming against my cervix as he twitched and jerked within me.

He collapsed on top of me, burying his face into my neck. His arms held just enough of his weight off of me to allow me to breathe. I loved the feeling of his body covering mine like a blanket. A feeling of completion, and rightness flooded my heart, threatening to burst it with joy, and the overflow spilled down my face in the form of tears.

"You're crying. Did I hurt you?" Edward asked as he placed kisses all over my face and neck.

"No. You didn't hurt me, Edward. You completed me. I'm crying because I am so happy."

He kissed me deeply as he shifted onto his side, tucking me firmly against him. I whimpered when his softened cock slipped out of me. I didn't ever want to leave this bed. I wanted to live here, with him buried deep inside of me forever. This was how it was meant to be from the start. Before I was even born, this beautiful man beside me filled my heart. He called me his own on the day of my birth, and made good on that claim that night.

"You're mine, BabyBell. Mine. No one will ever take you from me, I swear it." I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, wrapped up in his arms that night, knowing that even though I had to return to school, and that we would be separated by the miles while I finished my education, truer words had never been spoken. I was his, and nothing, and no one would change it.

~..*..~

June 1, 2012

"You're getting _married_?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, we finally decided to take the plunge." Alice giggled.

"What a load of horse shit!" I laughed. "You guys took the plunge that summer twenty one years ago when you moved into his apartment the same day he took you to bed. Three kids and all these years later…. Why now?"

"Janie got engaged last week, and it got Jazz and I to talking." She sighed. "All of the reasons we didn't want to marry seem silly now, since we can look back, and see that we have lived like any married couple all of these years. And while we don't need a piece of paper to tell us our relationship is legitimate, and carries meaning, I think I want that sense of legality. Y'now?"

"It's about freakin' time, woman!" I laughed.

"Says the woman who got married the day after she graduated law school, and then had a bazillion kids!" Alice groused.

"It's five, Ali." I sighed before adding with a whisper, "Until December."

"What did you say?" Alice screeched into the line.

"Yes, Ali. I'm pregnant. Again." I grinned. There was a small tid-bit that I was withholding yet. I'd just had my first sono, and had the evidence in my purse.

"How is Uncle Edward taking it?" She chuckled.

"I really wish you'd drop the title, Alice," I groused.

"Listen, I grew up thinking of him as my uncle. Somewhere along the lines, he became something else to you, but I will always think of him as my Uncle Edward. Deal with it. At least I'm not one of the ones who call it incest!" she defended.

"I know. I'm sorry. It was just frustrating having to deal with your mom last week. I swear, one of these days, I am going to slap a bitch!"

"Yeah, yeah… You keep saying so, but back to my question. How is he taking the pregnancy?"

"In stride," I sighed, looking across the living room, and watching as Edward rocked our youngest, Caleb, who was just ten months old. The twins, Elise and Aaron who were five were sitting on the floor, watching Aladdin and munching on popcorn. Nathan—our oldest—who had just turned thirteen, was sting at the computer playing some RPOG, and yelling something about swords into his headphone. Shaliene—who was my eleven year old princess–was texting on her iPhone (blame daddy, I didn't think she should have one yet either).

"Hmm," Alice mused. "I'll bet! I wonder how long it will be before he freaks-out this time around?"

"I bet if you listen hard enough, you'll hear it after we get the kids in bed tonight," I whispered to her, laughing.

"Oh no! Why?"

"Because I am going to show him the sonogram picture." I bit my lip to keep from giggling. See, Edward was a full-time stay at home Dad, and a part time Graphic Designer. While I was at work, he stayed home with the babies, and worked on jobs from his home office. He actually made more income than I did, since his work was highly sought after, and he made a killing off of each project, but his _real_ job was raising our kids.

"So? Is everything okay? It's too early to know the sex," she stated, stumped.

"It's another set of twins, Ali," I whispered.

"What did you just say?" Edward asked, walking past me to place Caleb into his crib.

"Ali, I gotta go!" I told her as I hung up. I dug around in my purse for the picture, and traded him, taking Caleb and laying him down before I heard it from the other room.

"No freaking way," Edward thundered.

"You see it with your own eyes." I sighed, holding up my hands in surrender. "It's not like it's _my_ fault you lied about how long you had to wait after your little snippage."

"Shit, BabyBell! I wanted to use the money from this job to take us all on an extended summer vacation next year," he whined. "Now we are going to have to get a new house. There's no _room_."

"I'm sorry. I'll try to be less beguiling," I grinned at him.

"BabyBell" His brows furrowed. "You know that's not what I meant!'

"I know." I hugged him tightly. "We'll do what we have to do."

He kissed my forehead, and drew a deep breath. "That's all we _can _do, My BabyBell."

"Still yours?" I asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"Always." He breathed out, and in his eyes, I could see the truth.

* * *

**Thank you so much to all who read and voted for my story.  
I didn't place in any of the categories, but alas, it was my  
FIRST competition. I learned so much.**

**Several people commented that they would like to see the  
missing years fleshed out. I am working on ideas  
to do just that. It will probably come as a separate story,  
so put me on alert.**

**Several people left comments on the competition site about how many children they ended up having.  
I am sorry to those who felt like I had made fun of my characters, turning them into the "Duggers".  
I was very close with four women before I got married. We spent ALL of our time together,  
and were all married within a nine month span. While my husband and I  
have no children of our own, we have twenty nieces and nephews from those four  
couples alone! Seven, six, four and three respectively. Two of those  
relationships are stay at home fathers. I was born Sept. 9, 1974, and therefore  
am from the generation that I wrote about!  
I have nothing more to say on the issue.**

**To those of you who are reading UUaAP...I AM SORRY for the delay.  
They say silence is loud. I agree.  
Bella and Leah have been very unwilling  
to tell me what is going on. The voice  
speaking in my ear is quite unexpected.  
I will be writing some today, so hopefully  
I will have a chapter for you shortly.  
I PROMISE if I have not abandoned it.  
**


	2. Chapter 2-Preface to Expansion

AN... This chapter is the beginning of the continuation... Which I will post separately, in short order. I figured I would slap it up here first so that those individuals who followed this will get the info. I will be posting it as "Whispered Awakenings, The Phone Calls that Shaped My Life"

My hope is that this chapter helps to clarify some things that were misunderstood by many in the OS.

* * *

Christmas 1974 was a rather large celebration for the Swans and the McCartys. For the Swans, it was their first Christmas with their first—and ultimately only—child. For the McCartys, it was the celebration of Emmett's officially adopting Alice as his own. It was good to have so much to celebrate for a change.

~.*.~

When Peter died, Rosalie was seven months pregnant, and devastated. She met Peter just a week after graduating from high school. They fell fast and hard, and were married in November.

The following July, Peter went on a weekend road trip with his best buds, Emmett and Paul. Rose was due on September, so he decided to sell his beloved motorcycle, as Rose feared for his safety every time he went for a ride.

Emmett had a bad feeling about the trip, and desperately tried to talk Peter out of that final ride. If only he'd listened... instead of Peter welcoming his precious daughter into the world, it was her intended god-father, Emmett who cut the cord, and nurtured her from the start. His devotion to Alice is what drew Rosalie and Emmett together.

Peter's death was devastating to his father. Carlisle was still reeling from the loss of his beloved wife, Esme. Just eighteen months prior, she had a massive brain aneurysm. She survived the initial bleed, and the surgery, but her blood pressure spiked while she was in recovery, and blew out the repair work. Esme was just thirty-six.

Carlisle and Esme had married quite young, she was fifteen, and he was nineteen. Two days before their first anniversary she gave birth to their daughter, Renee. Fourteen months later, they had Peter.

They both worked hard, and often struggled in the first few years of marriage, especially with the children, but they always held tight to each other. They were truly soul mates, and Carlisle never had the same passion for another woman after he lost his beloved.

~.*.~

In August of 1972, while the Cullen family was dealing with the loss of their beloved Peter, another family was about to be torn to shreds. War is brutal that way...

SFC Edward Masen Sr. had managed to stay stateside during the first five years of his service because he was considered inexpendible as a code breaker in the intelligence offices. He was stationed at Annapolis, and as such had been able to be an integral part of his son's formative years.

Edward Jr was a precocious child who captured the heart of everyone he encountered. He had inherited his father's auburn locks, green eyes, and personality. His facial structure, with the sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and beautiful smile were all his mother, Kate.

Katherine Elizabeth Masen was a lovely woman with a troubled soul. In present days, she might have been diagnosed, and successfully treated as suffering from Bi-polar disorder, but in those days, she was shrugged off as "not quite right".

Edward Sr had fallen deeply in love with this girl. He treated her gently and reverently, always being patient and devoted to her through her many mood swings. In spite of her struggles, Kate loved her husband, and was fully devoted to him. She was as good a mother as she knew how to be to their son, but her whole world revolved around her husband.

Early that fateful month, a delicate mission was suggested, and Edward Sr was "volunteered" for it by the Army. (As is/was their way) It was meant to be a quick in-and-out mission. He was to accompany a group of highly trained special forces into an enemy compound under the cover of night to decrypt some sensitive materials.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the lines, communications broke down, and the team that he was supposed to be accompanied by were sent on another mission. (So often, one hand knows not what the other is doing.) In the last moments, he was assigns a team of inexperienced soldiers.

In the end, SFC Edward Masen—who had zero experience in the field—managed to save all but one of the team assigned to protect him, but he lost his own life in the end, earning a bronze star posthumously, awarded to his then six year old son, Edward Jr.

~.*.~

Christmas Day dawned gray and early at the Cullen residence. Carlisle almost always hosted a large gathering, as his daughter and her husband (and new daughter) and his daughter-in-law along with Emmett and Alice always come to stay with him at the holiday.

Now he had Eddie too. He loved the kid like he was flesh and blood. Kate may have been rough to deal with, but this sweet child was the prize. Eddie spent his whole morning paying with Alice and "his" Babybell. He helped open their gifts, and clean up the strewn wrapping paper.

Renee had to practically pry Bella from his arms to get him to open his own gifts. Of course, Bella pitched as big a fit over the separation as Eddie did.

Yes, there was much to celebrate that year. Two fatherless children had men to step up to the plate, and live them like their own, and one couple who was told they would never have a child was holding their precious baby girl... And the love of a lifetime was blooming unawares, for the whole world to witness.

* * *

Let me know if this cleared up confusion, okay?!


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